Air-drill.



No. 633,661. Patented Sept-26, |899. A. P. SCHMUCKER.

AIB DRILL.

Application led Oct. 1, 1898.) f No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet n.

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No. 633,66I. Patented Sept. 26, |899. A: PISCHMUCKER.

AIR DRILL.

lApplcntion led Oct. 1, 189B.;

No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED P. SOHMUOKER, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

AIR-DRILL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 633,661, dated September 26, 1899.

Application led October l, 1898. Serial No. 692,429. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, ALFRED P. SCHMUCKER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of Colorado, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Drills; and l do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and tothe figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in rock-drills adapted to be operated by air, my object being to provide an apparatus of this class which shall be simple in construction, economical in cost, reliable, durable, and eifrcient in use, and to these ends the invention consists of the features, arrangements, and combinations hereinafter described and claimed, all of which will be fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

1n the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section taken through my improved drill. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are sections taken on the lines a, y y, and .2', respectively, Fig. 1.

Similar reference characters indicating corresponding parts in the views, let the numeral 5 designate a screw-shaft engaging a nut 6, mounted upon a collar 7, through which passes a supporting column or bar 8. The shaft 5 is provided with a hand-wheel 9 for convenience of adjustment. Hung on the unthreaded portion of the shaft 5 is a rotary motor comprising a casing 10, inclosing a cylindrical chamber 12, in which is located a rotary piston 13, eccentrically journaled on the casing and provided with spring-actuated reciprocating slides 14, upon which the air acts to propel the piston, as hereinafter explained. One journal of the'piston 13 is extended to form a short shaft 13, which passes through a stu fting-box, applied to the casing 5. The outer extremity of the shaft 13 is provided with a pinion 15, which meshes with a relatively large gear-wheel 16, made fast to a hollow shaft or air-tube 17, passing through the screw-shaft 5, and connected with an air-compressor (not shown) by means of a suitable conduit 18, provided with a coupling 10, passing through a stuffing-box 20, applied to the rear extremity of the tube 17. This coupling connection allows the hollow shaft 17 to turn independently of the conduit connected with the air-compressor.

To the rear extremity of the screw-shaft 5 is attached a stuffing-box 21, surrounding the ai r-tube 17. This stu ffing-box is provided 'in-1 termediate its packing extremities with a circular groove 22, communicating with the longitudinal opening 17a of the hollow shaft 17. This stuffing-box is provided with a threaded opening 21, into which is screwed one end of a tube 23, (see Fig. 1,) whose opposite extremity communicates with the piston-chamber 12, inclosed by the casing 10.

The hollow shaft 17 is adapted to rotate and also move longitudinally freely in the screw-shaft 5. y

To the forward extremity of the hollow shaft 17 is made fast a cylinder 24, inclosing a chamber 25, in which is located a reciprocating piston 26. The cylinder is provided with a channel or duct 27, communicating at one extremity with the opening 17-'L in the airshaft and at' the other extremity with the piston-chamber 25. The wall of the cylinder is also provided with another duct 2S, communicating with the chamber 25 at both extremities, and with a third duct 29, also communicating with the chamber 25 at both extremities. The forward extremity of the opening 17 is closed; but the air enters the duct 27 at apoint just to the rear of the closed extremityof the tube. Hence there is no direct communication between the forward extremity of the opening 17Ct and the rear extremity of the piston-chamber 25. The shank 30a of the drill-bit 30 is attached to a chuck 3l, its rear extremity projecting into the forward extremity of the piston-chamber 25. The piston 26 acts on the rear extremity of the drillbit during the operation of the drill. The chuck 31 is attached to the cylinder 21 by means of a screw-coupling 32. The piston 26 is provided with a circular groove 26, which allows the air to pass from the duct 27 to one IOO of the ducts 2S or 29, according to the position of the piston, as hereinafter explained.

The'cylinder is provided with frontand rear exhaust-ports 24.-C and 2in. The motorcasing 10 is also provided with an exhaustport 101. The supporting-arm of this casing 10 is splined on the screw-shaft and turns therewith.

In the operation of my improved drill the air passes from the aircompressor (not shown) by way of the conduit 1S to the longitudinal opening 17a of the hollow shaft 17, and thence by way of the tube 23 to the chamber 12 of the rotary motor, where it acts on the slides to rotate the piston, thus communicating motion to the shaft 13 and the pinion 15.. This movement of the pinion imparts a slow rotation to the gear 16 and to the air tube or shaft 17, the cylinder 2i, the chuck 3l, and the drill-bit 30. As soon as the air under pressure enters the air tube or shaft 17 it passes to the forward extremity of the tube, and thence to the duct 27 of the cylinder. Assuming that the piston 26 is in the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawingsthat is to say, at or near its backward limit of movement-the air passes from the duct 27 into the groove 26 of ihe piston 26 and thence to the duct- 28, whence it passes to the rear extremity of the chamber 25, where it acts on the rear extremity of the piston, driving the latter forward against the drillbit. IVhen the piston has reached its forward limit of movement, the air to the rear of the piston exhausts through the ports 24C of the cylinder, and the groove 26n is cut off from communication with the duct 2S and brought into communication with the duct 29. The mouth of Ithe duct 27 is of such width that it is always in communication with the groove 26, Hence when the piston has reached its forward limit of movement the air passes from the duct 27 through the groove 26a to the duct 29 and thence to a space 25 of the piston-chamber25, surroundingthe reduced extremity 26C of the piston, and acts on a shoulder26d, returning the piston to its backward limit of movement. The air in front of the piston then exhausts through the ports 24C of the cylinder.

The feed of the drill mechanism is accomplished by turning the screw-shaft 5 in the nut 6 in the direction to give it the forward movement or toward the right, referring to Figs. 1 and 2. This movement of the screwshaft causes its forward extremity to engage a shoulder on the air-tube adjacent the rear extremity of the cylinder 24, thus giving to the cylinder, the air-tube, and their attachments a corresponding movement. These parts are moved backwardly by reversing` the movement of the feed-screw, whereby its rear extremity engages the hub of the gearwheel 1G.

It is evident that steam or any suitable fluid other than air may bc employed in the operation of my improved drill. Hence it mus-t be understood that I do not limit the construction to an air-drill.

The air tube or shaft 17 is provided with a valve or stop-cock 35, whose function is to regulate or entirely cut off the passage of air to the cylinder 24. This stop-cock allows me to stop the action cf the hammer-piston while the rotation of the air-tube, the cylinder 24, and the drill-bit continues. Then by turning the feed-screw and moving the drillbit and its connections rearwardly simultaneously with the rotation of the said parts the drill-hole may be reamed out and cleaned. This construction and arrangement of parts constitute a very important feature of the invention, since in a hammer-drill the bit is liable to stick fast in the hole, causing much trouble and delay in the progress of the work.

The drill-bit engages a square hole in the chuck and is fastened therein by means of a key 36., which passes through a slot in the bit, thus permitting a limited longitudinal movement of the bit in the chuck. Hence it is evident that the simultaneous rotary and backward movement of the air-tube, cylinder, and chuck imparts corresponding movements to the drill-bit, thus accomplishing the reamiug and cleaning of the drillhole, as heretofore stated.

Another important feature of the drill is that the mechanism for rotating the bit operates independently of the action of the piston-hammer, thus permitting the rotation of the bit while the hammer is inactive, as heretofore explained.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim is- 1. In a drill operated by air or other suitable Huid, the combination with a suitable support, of a nut mounted thereon, a hollow screw-shaft engaging the nut, an air-tube passing through the screw-shaft, a cylinder made fast to the forward extremity of the airtube and provided with ducts adapted to take the air from the tube and deliver it alternately to the front and rear parts of the cylinder-chamber, and a piston located in the said chamber and adapted to reciprocate when acted on by the air from the said ducts, the piston being grooved to allow the air to cross the chamber, the wall of the cylinder being provided with suitable exhaust-ports, and a drill-bit supported to be actuated by the reciprocating piston.

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2. In a drill, the combination with a suitmer, a drill-bit supported to be actuated bythe said piston, and suitable means for rotating the air-tube and the cylinder attached thereto.

S. The combination with a suitable support, of a hollow feed-screw mounted thereon, an air-tube passing through the feed-screw, a cylinder attached to its forward extremity and provided with d ucts com municating with the air-tube and arranged to deliver the air to the 'front and rear of the piston, a piston located in the cylinder-chamber and adapted to be reciprocated by the action of the air, the said piston being fashioned to allow the air to cross the chamber from one duct to another, a drill supported to be actuated by the reciprocating piston, and suitable means for rotating the air-tube, the cylinder and their attachments, comprising' a rotary motor attached tothe screw-shaft, a gear-wheel fast on the air-tube, a pinion operated by the motor and meshing with the gear, and suitable means for conducting air to the motor.

l. The combination with a suitablesupport, ot` a hollow feed-screw mounted thereon, an air-tube passing through the feed-screw, a cylinder attached to its forward extremity and provided with ducts communicating with the air-tube and arranged to deliver the air to the front and rear of the piston, a piston located in the cylinder-chamber and adapted to be reeiprocated by the action ot' the air, the said piston being fashioned to allow the air to cross the chamber from one duct to another, a drill supported to be actuated by the reciprocating piston, and suitable means for rotating the air-tube, the cylinder and their attachments, comprising a rotary motor att-ached to the screw-shaft, a gear-wheel fast on the air-tube, a pinion operated by the motor and meshing with the gear, and suitable means for conducting the air to the motor comprising a tube or conduit communicating with the hollow air-shaft at one extremity and with the motor-chamber at the opposite extremity.

5. In a drill or similar instrument, the combination with a suitable support, of a revoluble air-shaft mounted thereon, a cylinder fast on the air-shaft and rotated therewith, a piston-hammer located in the cylinder and operated by the air from the said shaft, a bit mounted on the cylinder and arranged to be driven by the piston-hammer, and means operated independently of the movement of the piston-hammer for rotatingl the air-shaft, the cylinder and t-he bit.

G. The combination of a revoluble cylinder, a piston-hammerlocated therein, a bit mounted on the cylinderand adapted to rotate therewith, said bit being arranged to be operated by said hammer, and means for delivering to the cylinder air, or other suitable fluid, for operating the hammer.

7. The combination of a revoluble cylinder,

a piston-hammer located therein, a bit mounted on the cylinder adapted to turn therewith, and arranged to be operated by the pistonhammer, and means for automatically rotating the cylinder and bit.

8. In a drill adapted to be operated by air, the combination of a cylinder, a piston-hammer located therein, a drill-bit mounted on the cylinder and adapted to be operated by the'hammer, an air-shaft fast on the cylinder and arranged to deliver' air thereto for the operation of the hammer, means also operated by the air from the said shaft for rotating the latter, and suitable means located intermediate the rotating mechanism and the cylinder, for cutting oit the iiow of air to the latter, while the former is in operation.

9, The combination of a drill-bit, a cylinder, a piston-hammer, an air-shaft for deliverin g air to the cylinder, a feed-screw through which the air-.shaft passes, a rotary motor mounted on the screw and adapted to turn therewith, a pinion fast on the motor-shaft, and a gear fast on the air-shaft and meshing with the pinion.

l0.. The combination of a drill-bit, a cylinder upon which the bit is mounted, a pistonhammer located in the cylinder, an air-shaft connected with the cylinder and adapted to deliver air thereto, a feed-screw, a rotary motor mounted on the screw and-adapted to turn therewith, a pinion fast on the shaft of the motor, a gear fast on the air-shaft and meshing with the pinion, means for delivering air from the air-shaft to the motor, and means for cutting oft the ilow of air to the cylinder, while the motor is in operation.

ll. rlhe combination of a revoluble cylinder, a piston-hammer located therein, a bit mounted on the cylinder and arranged to rotate therewith, said bit being adapted to be operated by said hammer, means for delivering to the cylinder air, or other iluid, for operating the hammer, and means operated independently of the hammers action for rotating the cylinder and bit.

l2.- The combination of a bit, a revoluble cylinder upon which the bit'is mounted and with which it is adapted to turn, a hammer located in said cylinder for driving the bit, and means for rotating the said cylinder, said means operating independently of the hammers action, whereby the rotation of the cylinder may eontin ue while the hammer is inactive.

13. In a drill or similar apparatus adapted to be operated by air, or other expansive fluid, the combina-tion of the cylinder, a piston-hammer located therein, a bit mounted on the cylinder and adapted to be operated by the hammer, an air-shaft fast on the cylinder and arranged to deliver air thereto for the operation of the hammer, and means also operated by the air from the said shaft for rotating the shaft and cylinder.

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14. In a drill or similar apparatus adapted l Huid, for automatically rotating the cylinder xo to be operated by airor other expansive Huid, i and drill-bit. the combination of a revoiuble cylinder, apisi In testimony whereof I affix my signature ton-hammerlocaited thereimadriH-bitmount- 1 in presence of two Witnesses.

- ed on the Cylinder and adapted to be opera- ALF-RED P. SCHMUCKER.

ted by the hammer and to turn with the Cylinder, means for delivering the air to the Cyl- 1 iVibnesses: inder for operating' the hammer, and means A. J. OBRIEN, also operated by the air or other expansive g EDITH HIMSWORTH. 

